Film-treating apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. J. EATTERSON Filed Juyy 11, 1923 July 7,

FILM TREATING APPARATUS Patented July 7, i925;

'Unirse .STATES Pers T OFFICE.

l LnoJ. Perri-ensei?, or' Los ANGELES, cnmromvm, essmuono 0mm ccnrone'rron, or Los ANGELES, cmromrm, A conronerrolror cALIronNm.

FzLmrnm'rnto APPARATUS.

Appniion nien muy u, 1923. mmm. 659.7619

.- To all 'whom it may concem:

Be it known 'that I, Luo J. Pnrrnnsorr, e citizen of the United States, residingr in Los Angeles, county .of 'his Angeles, State of California, have invented new and luseful Improvements in Filmf'l'rcatiug Agparhtus, oiwhicli-the following is a. speci cation.V This invention relates t'lm handling n paratus sind more particularly@ apparatus,

or feeding or propelling continuous strips of motion picture film through the various vbaths', dryers and' machines used in connection withv its treatment. Thesgeneral purpose of the invention is to provide u' method and means for moving and controlling the 'movement of the film through itscourse. in 'such s. manner that film breakage is vpreventcd and Vwhereby increased output is ohtained. In general, this isi-accomplished by n novel means for maintninn the film un- .der allownhle'- and 'substantially uniform c hnnges in the 4film bod 25 My'invention meets and -ovemoines Athe `various peculiar and vexing roblef'ns in` Iierenb irl-'the mechanical han ling of long .strips Aof -film as it is passed through the vurious'steps o its treatment, und in order to more'fully set-forth the application, function und novelty of the invention, it is well f'o firstdiscuss certain of these problems. .Film treating machines are required for sensitizing, resensitizing or color'sensitizing, developing, washing, drying, bleaching, dyeend. This finished product may be ordinary' or previously sensitized stock., re-sensitized or; color sensitized, black and white negative or mished miturzil coior positiveready for projection. Thus,-in treating a single length ing or toning film; andin-many processes or ositive, toned black and white positive of film, certain portions may be in vet bths, while other portions mcy be passing through drying chambers. The difiiculty heretofore encountered in continuously passing film th rough the various steps of its treatment has .been du'e to the characteristics whic'hthe film hns of expzinding when 'wet and contracting.

when dry, this differencebeing on the average of from 2/32 .per -foot toA 3/32 per' foot und the length of film treated-ranging as high as 1000 or more. 'A ny tendency of the iilm-tofcontra'ct while being propelled, naturally subjects the'film to considerable parting strain.' ields` ull the more residil'y to such strz'iiii.l ueto the' fact that, it is considerably weakened by It' `is evidentthat avoidance of driving sprockets is desirn ie because of the alter- .nate expansion und \ccntraction 'ofthefiim ,andyet that continuous propulsion 'of the tension throughout its length,` 1rrespective'-l ofitscxtent and 'irrespective of physical of the film tot e various treatments or suh- -film is required because of its continuity and the desirabilit of' exposing every rtion .exposure to moisture or lmmersion in'ffluids.- A

stnntially uniform time periods.- While va.-

rions attempts have' been made to solvetliis' -problcnfi-` satisfactory results have not been eretof'ore obtained, so far as' sm aware.

According to this invention, the-foregoing1- number of wet cessively passed through an f b k anger-o rea -difiiculties are overcome and a. fiiin of unlimited length-rendered capable of being sucmy device varincally compensated, slack arising through excessivc'expansion being taken up` by'an im-V mediate automntxc acceleration of the film in advance of the ex )ending portion; while the back' p ull exerte 'by a contracting portion of film iscorrpensatedV by an automatic checking of the a vence of the film ahead of .the contr'nctino-- portion j'ivifdiout' inter vance behind the portion.

rp ting the lni he precise method b' which l accomplish.

Athe above is set forth 1n the following d6-` tailed description ol Va preferred embodiment oi my invention, from which description other features of novelty and objects of the invention willbe apparent. Refpr- '5 lice will be made to-the accompanying drawings- F'g. 1 is a diagrammatic View of an appsratus embodyinf my invention;

Fig; 2 is an enlarged vertical section .on I`-linc 2-2 of Fi. 1. l,

Fig. 3` is a die ammatic view showing the mounting of t e drive and idler spools and their relative positions with respect to s. brake rod. 1.',v

of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 5 is a, view of the'speed reduction train and drive mechanism as viewed from the" right in Fig. 1;.nnd.

Fig. 6 isa irs. ing oneof the;v chamber.

. Although my inventionis. applicable to entary plan View showiv'e shaftsin the drying manv different forms of apparatus for handling anditreetin lengths" of motion e li e,

picture film and th I willdeseribe but one embodiment in detail. 'Such e description will enable those skilled in the ort to understand the fundamental principles of 20 the invention and how. such principles are `embodied in one typo 0f machine-,whereuponmany other applications -of the invention to the-different machines nonv known in j the art will beznpperent. I therefore wish to 86 state at the outset, that the fact I .have described but oneembodiment of the invention is not to be construed :es indicatingtbnt my invention is 'restricted to such limted'nse, or that my ri lits nre to be limited to thisparl0 tisular em-odimcnt.'

-For'illustrtive purposes I have shown the invention embodied in an apparatiis where film passes successively through a liquid bathiin treating tank 10 and thence lliv throughin drying chamber 11, such an' apps.-

.ratns being especially -wcll adaptedifor the purpose since it involves e typical example pf exposing lilm'to conditions which canse its alternate expansion und contraction.1 no

supply" spool 12, holdfbaolor film .re-' tarder 113, tank 10,-ehnmbcr 1l, delivery means he hike-np reel 15 is indicated bythe arriivs in Iig. I. A drive shaft 16 is joui"- 5? nailed at l? 'on the't'ank frame I Snnd'can riesjroelaet 1S), while'a pluratlityof substantinlly parallel drive shafts llarc jotlrnallodm on\,the chamber frame at 21 and carry sprockets 22.' Power shaft 23 is ournallecl 00 on flixme 20 and carries sprocket 24. Sprockets 19, 22 and 2li have equal diameters and are connected by drive chain 25, which is also trained beneath idlers 9.6 011 frame 202 Shifts 16 and 16 are thus adapted to "50' .e rotatedin the same direction upon rote' siderebler playwor-fgrioveinentbodily about Massi Fig. 4 is an onlargedscctionon line T hcgeneml course of the film F from tion of shaft 23. In the specific ernbodiment' illustrated, this direction of rotation is clockwise, as viewed in Fig.l l, .the cham being driven by motor 27, through belt and the sprocket :indV chain speed reduction L 29. Theldrive ofshaits 16 ml'l is con;

stent and; ositive An idler shaft is ezirried by iangers 31 which depend from freine 18, 'and idler shaftso* arefsnlpportml i -by the cross-bar 32 in dryingjchamber 1l,

there being a companion idler shaft for each drive shaft. In the drawings cach drive shat is shown in vertical alignment with its not a limitation on the invention, as thc shafts may be in any relative arrangement whichso erativm.

Since t c construction, functions, of the spools o n shafts A16 nd 30 are the sameas of the spoo s on shafts '-'16 and' 30, rcsgelctively, it wi l'be neces? serly'to'desoribe tone set of spools indetiii h 'A seri slraft 16, the spools .normally being frictionally driven by the shaft- Pins 34 serve to` sition the spools5 l'aterall'yon the shaft andwseparate the spools so that one spool cannot be drivenby frictionnl Contact with I another, thus ing'nrlng'gthat euch -spoolis driven independently-,fromshaft 16, only. Shaft 30 ccritiesjiseries of idler 'spools 35 'which are .in 'stgg' 4red'relation to spools 33, in the m'anlnelvcllstruted in Fig. 2. Pins 36 on shaft-'serve.tolnmintain this relation by limiting the vside play -of spools Acompanion idler shaft, but this-showingr is '3'5 A:ind alsol preventi--frictional contact between the spools-H Abralre rod' 'or bar` 37 is supported b lei-to shaft 30.' l

In order to moi-c .dolnitely describe the mounting and compensating action of the y hangers 3l' vallieve and paralmounting and 1 es of drive spools 33 is carried on- 'spools -I will assign 'totl1emcertain charac# L teristics :ind dimensions lwhich -I'haireionnd by actua-l practice to he suitable, although 'I do not wish to imply that successful oper- "nti'on is dependent on tlicperts havingthese jpartienlar chnracteristicsnnd proportions.

The several shafts, spools and rods'are com .E strncte'd ofsnch material that theco-olllcient of friction between each spool' ancl *"shnft 1G is snbstentia-llyfthe same-ns that between the bm 37 'and the rim flanges 38. o f'each idle'r spool.v 35 when, -under certain- Y ci rclunstances, the idler spool liaise-'d i nto contact with said han. The bores 3 5) oi :spools 33 are'1ehont 1.62 inches insideA cli-- :imcter so that, while shaft, 1 6, which sone inch in diameter, for. instance ordifnarily frictionally-irive these spools the rotation ofthelattermay becheckedth- -outcheelring the' sllttrotetion; 'Thebores of-'spools -arabnt '1.02 inchesinside A :diemeter solthe spools Bi are capable oiconf" Lugosi einem whitneaais inches danesi. As

ing' with pins 3611s e for laterally .i iis-about' .0625i inches ahovejanges 38 ofa matter 'of fact, spools 35 normali lfloat about shaft 30, the shaft primarily 'etienpositioning the idler spools. .Brake bar' '3 'spools 35 wheni such spools are in their lowei-niost .position .witli.-relation to shaft 30, but it is apparent that when aboutirait l of the clearanoebetween the idler spools andi. `:Film fromsupply 1.5' through retarder 13 rollers '41, 42 andfilm sprocket '4:3

25. face peri 3" and'sp'ools 33 ofequal diameter, and

haft'O-has been' taken up by raising the spools, flanges 38willoontad; with brake ba'r Emi 12 is 'wielded W iFig. 4) the-teeth of the latter engagingt usua film erorations Sprocket 43 is mounted ons ,sie which is joumauea on $0 1.8 and sprocket is driven from shaft 16 through' es sprocket 45. The latter sprocket At6 and c hinn 471 The drive oonnection is such 'that the peripheral speed 'of film sprocket 43 is less than. the maximum.

eralgspeed of drive spools 33 as rietiona y driven by rotation of shaft when said. shaft is rotating at a. given speed, this'ratio of peripheral z'ipeed's being accomhlished, for instance,A by making-l sprocket making sprocket of greater diameter than .sprocket lse that shaft 44 which .carries sprocket 43 revolves at af slower speed than". s

aft116"which carries spools 33.4 Since sprocket-43 and the first drive-...s ool 33* 40 ing), and* therefore since sprocket its shaft; 14n-evolve asv one, the angularoccurring;

"Itis normally tendingf handshould are connected-hy a course'offlm, .peri-l pheral sped'of the s ool cannot be eater than-tl ,roithe spoc et-'(as sum1ng-t at the coursel ci filmfbetween themisjnot -ex d velocity. of spool 33* will belessthan that of.- v will 000m' t \geen't he spool and its `s it. A It is obvi` ons, .how'ever, that spool .33 continuously Afunctions as a flm'ad-vancing as lon as the coursevof film. between. it. an

:sprockets 13 does not' contract-.since :shaft to rotatethe spool :t a higher pcripher speed than that at which sprocket flistraveling, and it is also evident that. in the event the said course of film expands or'stretehes, spool .33 will piek plass more filip and Vthus com- 't e expansion. `0n theother contraction occur in thisjcourse of film2 the film advance is retarded and the' peripheral speed o f spool 38" isf-reducedll ,to compensate e contraction, an Aincreased slippage between the spool and. its shaft their` The extent `o`f 'film retardation pensate for oeed by sprocket 43 is alsol dependent on certuin"'other conditions, but these conditions mny be discued to better advantage" later in the'descriptiom ,tlbiishpoing hows .illustrated the ich may mss-i of and idler spools 35il rin @mme with ever, I wish including a positively driven sprocket 43,

,point jout 'that while A I have' i ilm. retai'ding means 13 as I may utilize other menus (o perfoiiii the Y saine function. AFor instance,` a pulley, positively driven to effect the described condi-- ltion of film retardatienyinny be substituted for film sprocket 43, in whidi case2 'vallei- .42 may be arranged to hold the film .in such contact with the positively: driven pulley" to prevent slippage between the film und pul e as spools 33v and which'l pulley 4is loose on piii' osos diiiiiielffilE A power shaft 2%, .and thence. the film passes to take-u '.reel 15. j Pressure idler .51 is journalle in these/ingingarm 52 -which is pvota'illy mounted on frame 20 :it-53 and idler 51 rides onV the face of pulley 5'),4 or rather, on the film which this pulley.A The weight'of idler- 5l as imposed upon the pulley tobe .frictionally driven by shaft 23.'biit allows slippage between pulley and shaft, so that the speed of rotation 'of the may be less` than.v that of the "shaftA 0f eourse idler. l'presses the film upon pulley 5.0 with sullicient force to insure film-trac ripberal speed tion onsaid pulley. The

ie same as 'that ofvjpullev 5'() is'normally t and 28 revolve at the same speed, shaft 23 willrotate faster amount ofpull on the. film exerted 'bythe delivery means 14 (consisting. of shaft 23, pulley() and' idler 52) will be discussed atei'. Take-up reel 1'5 is driven by belt 54' trained overa. pulley-55, which pulley is .oose on the power shaft 23 and is Vdriven therefrom by a usuali'riction clutch 56.

It will be seen that between each two ad,- jaeent drive spools, say 33a and 33", on .shaft 16,l a loop of film is 'formed with an idler at the bottom ofthe loop.

of connected.loops,Y while within-chamber 11 the film isi-arranged in a series ,of spirale'B is trained over than pulley 50.' '[he 50 causes the pulley'Y p'iilley les of.. spools 33, 'thepulley being held down. lto' this speed by reason of'its film connecf "tion with thespool 33', and since shafts 16 izo spool, in this case 35,.inc'lii'cled within and A l 'laken as a.. whole; therefore, the film within tank 10 is f Iarranged in the form'Y of a spiral-or s.. series eachl spiral beingnmade up of a series'o loops in the same manner aslthat described the tank contained film..

Film expansion or contraction may Atoire place wit in each loop, between spirals, between series of spirals, and Between the tank in the chamber, and-I have provided. for compensating such length variation, irres -ive of point of occurrence, by the particular method of mounting the drive and -idler spoolsl on their respective shafts and the provision of brake bars`37.

'Io better describe the operation 'of the device. it is woll to first assume that no fluid is lpresent in tank' 10 sind that the film is in such a condition that it is neither npable of expanding no1- contracting. Such a film condition probably never exists, but the. assumption will -aid in 'describing certain operative principles of the machine. We ivill lso suppose that the film is cari-ied directly from the last tanlrdrive spool 133s to pnllev 50, which is a. 4proper assumption since 'the apparat-us in chamber 11 is n mere dnplico-tion -of that in tank 10. Now

Y the drive chain 4? were removed to 2 neet .the retarder 13 sup (for purposesof description thet conund the film 'tightly gras )ed aba. point between roel12 and thfe rst drive spool 33, and the film pulledback with n force greaterthnn the film advancing torce,"whi'ch is then put into effect by starting motor 27. Shaft 16 is revolved 3,5 is held from rotating l their rotation. The superior 'manual' connecte by a course of film nndsi'nce the braking action of spools lili"- place before the predetermined allowable,

`evident that 46 is supported in :ir-clockwise direction, 'as viewed i'nFign1 3.,"tending to drive spools 33 in the 'seme direction. However, since the film is pulled hack at point A, the first'. drive spool 33'L while, for the instant,

'all the remaining drive spools 33 contine in on the film, however, shortens the first loop 33, 35", 33", raising the idler spool l 4with. bar'( which thereupon exerts a, braking' action on, and stops therotation of,this vidler spool. Thestop- "png otspool`35, in turn, halts the rota.-

tionof l 33", since the two spoolsnreooferiicient of friction between shaft 16,:ind spool 33 is substantially the same ne between spool 35* and bar 37, 'while the brak- A inn force apilied against spool 35* by .rod vantage' of increased leverage gver the driving force applied to Aspool 33 y torque' is `Now the app greater than. the driving torque., aratus is so designed that this and 33" .takes tensile strain on the film course B, extending therebetween-has been exc onelhelf the weight of idler 35* by hn course B and .that 'the tension'imposed on the film by this amount of weight lies well within the allowable limit of film tension.

The stopping o drive spool 83fres`ults 5; a shortening of the next succeeding film Epil shaft 16, or, in other words. the braking A eeded.- YIt is loop, -vvhereupon the second idler spool 3'5 4is raised -an brakul brin the third.

1 gmg holtdrive spool to'rest. Thus n progress l P We ive ing of the idler and drive spec s takes 'throughout the film spiral. Delivery pulle frictional contact with its slm t l 50 has such 23 that it exerts suiioent pull on the film to. insure the' .support of the last idler spool and to maintain the predetermined lm ads' vence from thelnst idler spool during lnorby the complete braking -'of thefsoid last idler spool in a manner similar -to that'in which the driving spools 33 are stofped by 1,

` )from to take the film directly from n -mal operation.v but is stopped iii its rotation-f tion with shaft 23, pulley 50 and idler 51), K

and Vthe film may be disconnected romthe tal e-up reel 'for the purpose of threading it onto :mother reel without .effecting the continuous film feed' through the apparatus, The pull of pulley 50, however, is insuliicient to impose 'more than the allownble tensile strain on the course of film betweenitand the lnstidler spool after said last s ool has been bmked. As s'oon. as'tho filmas thus been brought entirely to rest, friction 56 slips and teke-upreel i5 ceases torotate. he entire film has thnsbeen brought to rest even though shafts 16 and 23 are still in'motion, but the stopping of the film has beenprogressive and each loop has only been subjected to such i1 tension as is sufiicient to completely brake its particular idler spool. In other words each loop may be considered es having been halted within it self so there has beenno aecnmulation'or building 'up of tension at any point ,in the spiral.

Now assumo the actual 'operating condi' tions; the film is released atpoint -A. and drive chain 47 reconnected s'o as to canse ro` tation of film sprocket 43. A s previously' j.

115 film to cut'dovin the rotative speed of drive stated'sprocket 43 retards the speed ot. the

spool 33* -fzind hence the remainingdrive spools) `to less than that of shaft 16', or, in other words. drive spools 33- are capable of advancing the film at a, greater lineal speed thansit is fed-into the machine-.by the re-` los tarder. It has been pointed oiitthat deliv'ei'v pulley 50 operates similarly to drive y out' of full braking contact with brekef ls 33; it therefore follows that said pulspool) nt 26 -lilmbeing subjected onl Losses:

har 3l wherenEon the force of driving Vfri/:- 4tion betwecns aft 16 and driving s ool 38 becomes greater than the force of raking friction between the idler spool 35u and har" through the entire-spool series an through delivery' means ltnntil the entire film' is adj by. reel l5 vancingg-beng continually taken n 15. During. this movement of the film idler spools. esse-rape ligne a inst brake im 37 but" with insufficient livraing effect to stop the rotation of the drive spools 3 3. A frictional nilibrium is thus established, where-- in vthe rii'ihg .f rictional force exceeds the brakin frictionalforcmand the film is nd- Vance minder the uniform vpredetermined tension ,tlxroughout,1 each single course of to n tension Sullicient to' support one-ha f the Weight of an idler spoolplys' the amount of force necessa y to move it through a single loop.'

the above we assumed t at no variation in film lenfrth takes lace. Now let ns consider the eeli'ect of fi m' contraction and cxnsion. contraction has the effect o'f incrensngthe tension"of the-' fxlm; While film expansion. has'the' effect of decreasing 36 the tension of the'f ilm- Generally speaking,

'this variation in tension disturbsthe equilibrum abovedescribed, but by reason of the .arrangemcntof the spools, the film expan sion or' contraction isautomaticlly ooxn` 4h .pensated to-automaticallyrestore the equis librinm 'and thus maintain. the lm under I the uniform predetermincdtension;

Suppose for instance the film making up the loop 33, 35 A:1.114133n were to expand, or in lother \\'ords, the first loop were .to

lengthen.. Idler-spool. is then lowered away and relieved from braking engagement with har 3i',

npon the amount of expansion, allowing drive spool 33h-to be revolvedat a higher speedby shaft 16 to take up the increased loop. len th and thus revnt the accumula tion of slack inthe in.. The next following idler spool then drops,- due to them? creased film fecdof spool" drivespool is therebyA allowed 'to gain in 'speed and functions to pick upfancl as's 'the increased length offilm along to .t e succeeding loop, where thocompensatmv action cated in. asimilar mann/er. n this W1 expanding acceleration. y machine unless the expansion is compensate .byginteq'rvening film contraction, soon as portion is accelerated and such continues entirely .through-tho stored throughout the machine.l

4.film contraction. '1n tum, checks therotation of spoolii,"

disturbed by reason ofthe contraction ofthe the. degree of relief depending loop. `However,A since each loop fis-a part *sofa single length or-spral'o` film," the vaand the third'- drive spool 33" has completely advancodthe expanded portion of the film, itdmws icllers back into normal engagement with bars 37rand the equilibrium is progressively re- 'IQ In explaining the compensating action due to lm contraction, I will again 'refer to the film loopvbetweon spools 33135", and

.33", assuming in this casef tliattheloop is` exposed' in a drying chamherrather than im mersed in a liquid bath. As the loop shox-tens throlgh contraction, .spool :35 is carried upwar ly until'its flanges 38.0'ngage bar 3? withlzincreased pressure, which 'resnlts m spool 35A being checked or stopped m its rotation, do ending on thedegreo of is braking ofv spool since the twospo'ols are conneoted-byfilm course' B and since there is now a prepond-V 85 erance ofbraking friction over drivmg'iriction; (this preponderance being' gainedlyv reason of the-leverage advantage which the braking elen'ient'slhave over the driving 'elements.) Thus, depending on the degree-of film contraction, the spool 33"y -is'A checked in its rotation'.maghi-ought to rest,` which checks or. entirely -stops the 'advance of the film in the next loop ahead, while the rota: fion of the first drive spool v33* is 'unfeli'ecteil and continues to ecdtbe lilm t'herefromint'o 'the loop at uniform,constant speed until the`A loop is lcngthenedsnfiiciently to -loiver -idle'r pulley 35* out of its ahnorgnal'braking .en-.1. ,sagement with har ST--Uponsnch lowering 10( .of idler spool 35* the drive spool 33 isngain free to be revolved at normal film advancing Is {peed to' feed the filnr forwardly through the rst loop. Th's theeqnilibrinm which was ma film,`-ie restored and: dniing 'the restoration thegfilm in thegloop has not'beens'nhjeoted A to exlessiveftensile strain... In connection with the foregoing,` spoolsvv 333,35 angl-b-may beconsideredas a com? plete com nsating-u'nit and it-will-he1indrstood hat` each succeeding setfofspools similarly vrelated further compcnsate for lilmeontraction within theirg'associated filml H5 riation in lengthof one loop eliects'certnixr of theloops ahead of it. jFor instance` falce the case just described, where spool 33 is my checked` by reason of lmgcontrction -'bctwee itY and spools 83.- Whenspoolf? and the advancel of the film 'in gthefirst loo'p is initially checked.' all thedrive spools. to the right thereoftFig 2) nrestill rotating-' at normal speed, and the second loop is therefore takensup o rshortenesl. This results in the Asecond idler spool' being raised -withincrcased pressure against 'liar d 37 and this notion checks or-stops the third drivel s pool 33. vThus a progressive check 3 ing of the spools andloops takes luce uiitilA the entire length of film ahead o roller 83 -'1s checked-in its 'advance unless on interv'ei'ing expansion of .the lin compensates the contraction) until roller lias fed in enough extra film to compensate forth: con traction, 'whereupon all the s pools 'ere progressively released from the left until all of the driving spools' are again functioning selves mi wou d, if transmitted from. loop to to. advance the complete length f filtri.

:It will be noted that thecontreetion is compensated within each loop as the contructionoccurs and that even though all the' loops were contracting .at the seme time, this contraction is compensated as it occurs .with no accumiilative tendency.' Except for the provisions I have made, slight contractions ineach4 loop, which cohtractionsin theml t 'not he vsiiiiicient to break the loop, build up or accumulate to such an extent that the film would finally give wey and tear. Y A

Film enpansionsand contractions are not ordinari] sudden, While the compensation' my device is immediate. Thereafforded 'forja in inary practice the frictionnl equilibrium is practically constant and Vthe tension on the film is maintained substantially uniform eveiiduring the most extreme .cases of expansion and contraction, and this tension never exceeds the 'permissible limit.

Itis to be noted that it is not necessary to the successful 'operation of the device that .all the drive .or idler spools need be of exactly the same diameterl as the peripheral speed `of each is maintained at t rate.irrespecti ve of variationsin diameter.

v axis of each 61m course may be per Shafts 16 end dmay oe sli litly'inclined towards each other in order t at the naiqor cularto the feces of the drivin tspo s as the film passes onto them from e idler spools andiplxrlpendcular to the idler spool 'faces as the asses onto them from the driving uch an inclination is desirable bespools.

- rela- Acauso, otherwise, due to the stag tion of the driving and idler spoo sthe iilm would tend to exert a' side thrust on {ilmand spools :indiaanse undesirable friction.

It will be noted that I have avoided the provision of driving mechanism at the bot` tom of solution or ,wash tanks` Thus, 'in my device there 'is no necessit for imm gearing," cked shafts, an the like, which are troub esome and inaccessible.

It will bennderstd that many structural variations may be .made without departing from the spirit and sco ofv my invention; For instance, I may dispense 4with 'tlieidler spoolsr in certain of the loops, I

may dis -the drive and; idler shafts in other than vertical ali ment, I may vary the relative sizesof s its, sprockets and spools, or I may vary-the general'eonstruc-- `interpietation of the-'claims .driving means for certain of said sools, the

` s "cols andbodil 4move lei er spoo ie proper milices:

tion to adapt the invention to machines 'other than those mentioned. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to the particular em'- "bodimentvof m invention shoiiiii und de scribed, except or such limitations as a fair' may. import. les.. u v 1. n pro ing apparatus, s cols over which the (im P other spools benslgodily move le, and means to brake the named spools during their boch] movement.

2. In li xn propellin aratus, drive ls over lin is 'tra-ined,'frictional w ich the tihn is alterne'tely trained, ric

tional driving vineens for the dpive spools, and means to brake the idlerspools during their bodily movement. I

a plying film a jvencing orce at s, plurality o points' on the film, and meansco-acting with the film foi independently c ntrolling each iilm advancing means, whereby the film is maintained under substantially uniform [tension throughout, said ineens includin bodil movable idler spools coat witi the film intermediate saidl pointsliril-force dpplication, and meansada ted to brake the i ler spools during their one dlirecildxr. n

4. n rope in a paratus drive spools and idleli spools gweigvvhich theiilm isalternately trained, said idler spools A beiiig` bodily movable, means for advancing the film over the spools under substantially imi form tension throughout, rirrespective of lilin 3. In film pro elling ap aratusmeanshforly movement in contraction or-expansion, said means coinising meiins for rictionally driving the ive spools, and means 'for braking the idler spools during their bodily movement. '5; In film propelling apparatus, drive spools and idler spools ovei which the film is alternately trained, said idler spools being bodily movable, means. for advancing the film over the spools .under substantially uniform tension' throughout, irrespective of film contraction or expansion, sai prising means for frctionelly driving the drive spools, and means-01* braking the idler spools'di'ii'ing their-bodily movement,

tbe.. fi'ictioniil` driving .foi-ce exceeding the braking force when; tbefilm is undernouil g ersed o r less than normal tension', andthe brak ige ' o one'set und 60 expansion' and contraction of film trained adapted to .retard movement of the a fixed linear speed' that is less'tlin the linears l nt which the frictional driving means is capable ofA Yiidvaiiein thel l through the loop, frictionelly driven delivery means `capable of ulling film from-the loop at n greater linea speedikon it is.' fed' thereintoby seid feeding meansg' andmeanr' adapted to retard 'movement of the. film.

H througli the loopndeetuetd by virtueA of shortening of .the loo i 8. In lilmA propelling apparatus, u fric-n tiona'lly driven spool, a cooperating rotate:-l ble and bodily' movable idler spool tolr'eoeive a. film loop from the driven 'spo0l,. s,nd means' for-braking saididler spool upon predator? mined bodily` movement thereof.'

vS). In film propellingepparntns, a.' driving sliiift, e. spool irctonally driven thereb withI normal limited slip between the shall and spool, and i. cooperating idler spool to receive e loop-.of film from seid first spool.

10.-. lnlmipropellinv' a amt a, drivn im as, ceptiic e for-filmA loops, a. driven shaft aci-ossf ing shaft, n spool f rictional y driven' thereb with normal limited slip between the sl'ie n 'd spool id er spoolto receive nloop of llm from -said first sp'ool` und meims limtiiig-movement of said .idler spool toward s nid lfirst. f vprool due to contraction o'f the film to re- Y nee .--the feed of lili'n by siiid first spool.

11. In film propellin'nppsiratus, a series .of propelling spools in ependently frictionfillyt driven with norme] limit slip be- -40 .tween en ch sind its shaft, and o. bodily movable an rotatableidler two o f said driven spools. .o

12. In film propelling apparatus,- a s e i-ie s of propellngspools inde ndentl friction- .'olly d riyemwith norma limite tween eachspool and its shaft, a bodily movn bl'e androtatable idler .spoolbetween two -of seid driven spools, end means limiting 'spool between the' bodily movement'of said idler spool and- .50 braking the idler spool and hencetlie succeeding driving spool .to retard the feed of film by the succeeding driving s pool. vi3. In a lilm propellingmechenisniI a drive shaft, twospared sets of supporting .55 spools, 'one set of spools being loosely mount ed on and being adapted to be lrictionall driven by said shaft. the-other set of spoo s beinginoveble towards and awuy from said beingedapted to compensate for alternately `lgiver the two setel by virute .of ,such movement. I 14. In film propelling. epparotus,' a series of propelling s of Said driven spools and adapted toforin e loop in .the .film between 'said two drive film film' fromthe loop at 'greater speed than o .cooperating bodily move-ble 'means for loops of film, independent bod1y slip be- -ineans .through'tlie several loops ectuate'd by virtue tioxiel driving means for a loop o ls independently fric-` '65 tionally driven" ivit 4normal,limited slip lieionen sul Spool sind its Shaft, iboziiiv mov-n able and rotatable idler spool between two s olsz mennsadaptedto feed film-to o'ne of t e drive spools at-lessthan tlie full peripheral sfeed of the drive spools, and -fi'iot 'i onolly" riven trike-up means capable of pullit. is fed'theijeinto by saidj feeding ineens.

15. In llin. propelling apparatus; friotional .driving means for 'a loop `oflilm; ineens 'to retardtlie film and retordtheretional drivin r means, means'to retard move! mentofthe fi m through the loop and ctuf..

, ated. by virtue of shortenin'g'of the loop' and frict-onully driven.- means capable-o' pullingfilm from. the loop :it a. greater lin-y eel -speed than the retardngmeans allows A A the'lilm to passtlirough'the 1.00 85 16.In njfilxii propellin'glxppari tus ii. tioniilly driven spool 4im. i lei-s ool below lthe first s ool and udeptedfto lie-'supported im film 00p from the .first spool, s bloke limiting upward movement and rotation of 00 theidler spool, and means limiting down# wardinovement of the idler spool;

' 19. In film propelling apparatus, sfplnj.; mi@ ifindependei'it vfrietionnl driving playable idler spools' in the several `loops,' and means to brake each-idler spool, when it is moved by' reason of itsjlilm o op'fli sliortenin` w 20. In lm propelling appni'iitus,.e ,fric i tiomildrivinp; means forfi'loop effi-lin, and means to retard mnve'me' t" of .t lieil n i through the loop actuated by virtue of short-11, j ening of the loop. 1

2 1. In film propelling opparatumeplnrality of independent frietiona'l dri-Ming means for loops `of flm,.iind inde "n 'to retard movement Aof- 't ie`nlm of' shortening-such a loop.

22. In lfilm.propelling apparatus a .friobodily movable idler spool in the film-loop,` '132 and means to brke tlieidlei' whenit is* -moved hp reasonof theilm loop shortenlg. -ing; the lroking'force beinggreatpr the frictional driving force. v

23.' In-film propelling appnratudevpluralxty of independent friotional driving means for loops of movable idlerspools in the. several iilm' loops, and means to brake each idler `ool when it is moved by reason of itsjfilm oop shortening; the brakngforce being greiiter ltinznthe rietional driving f oroe.

'ing shaft with 2i. In ilmpropelling nilopamtus` a fric-f tional driving means for o oop. bf llm, and means to retard movement of; the film through the loop actuated by virtue of.

shortening of -the loop: the brakn force being greater than the fr-ictional rivng .'foree, 25. In film. propelling o. paratus a plm rulity of' independent fribtional driving menus for loops of film, and inde dent meensto retard movement of tie film.

',.through the several loops actuated by virtue of shortening such a. loop; the brakin force 4.being greater than the frictionul riving force. I

26. In film propelling appnrntus, a. driv' a. driving* spool loosely mounted thereon to -be iritionellydriven from the shaft, an idler shaft substantially pernllelto the' driving shaft, anidler spool loosely mounted on 'the shaft so as to be ro- Y side of ,the idler shaft toward driving shaft,

tambie-thereon and bodily moveble transversely thereofn. limited distance, the driving and idler spools being adopted to take :L loo of film," ond n broke rod er ed neer lie periphery of the idler spool on t. :it

and into contact with which-brake rod the idler spool is adapted to`be moved by virtue plurality of film loo s; on nenr und pnrallelto t e idler. shaft ond on` the rotation of the driving spools relative to.

of shortening of the film loop. 2T. En film propelling 'nppnretus, n driving shaft, n. plurality of driving ools arranged in longitudinally spaced re ation on the driving shaft. each 's ool bein loose on the shaft sons to be frictxonally driven from the shaft independently of all otherdrving spools; on idler shaft substantially parallel to the driving shaft,I a pluralit of idler spools loosely carried by the i ler shaft,

I each spool being freely rotatable onthe idler shaft and bodily movable thereon m a dreetion trnnsvrseof the shaft; said driving und idler spools being ada ted to take u abi-oke rod that Iside of the idler shaft tovjard the driving shaft, each idler spool being adapted to periphcnilly contact with sof-id broke rod when moved by virtue of shortening of its lilm `loop und -liefore it has l'eched its limit of transverse movement with reference to the' idler shaft, und menns to retard the movement of the film and thereby 'to retard Y their driving shaft.

28. In. film propelliner apparatus, a. frictionol driving means orgia, loo of film, means to reterd the film and rete the frielxn, independent bodily foroe being greater than the tional driving means, a bodily m515 idler apparatus, a. rie-v the several film loops, und ineens to brake Y each 'dler spool when it is moved by reason of its film loop shortening'the braking ctional drivlng force. Y j' 31. In 'film propelling apparatus, a driving. shaft with n ,driving spooll loosely -mounted thereon to be frictionelly fdriven.

from the shaft, an idler` shaft smbstnntinllyA mrnllel to the drivingvshnft, an idler. spool ooselymolmted on theshaft so as to be rotatable thereon and bodily movable trans versely thereof :i limited dlstnnce, the driv .ing and idler spools being adapted totake o loop of film, 21ml a.' -brake rod nrrun ed near the erpheryof-the idler spool on t iat rod tile idler s ool is adpted to be movedl by virtue of s orteningof the Ilrnloop, and means to retard-the movement of the film and thereby to retard the rotation of fsheft.

32. In'fllin propelling n porotos oplor'ality of independent 4fribtionnl driving means for loops of filmz independent bodily movableidler spools 1n the sevemilm loops, means to feed lm to the driving means at less linear speed than said driving means is .capable of advancing the.-

yside of t ie idler shaft toward the driving l shaft and into eontaet with which brake vthe driving spooll relative to its driving' l' film, Y

means to brake each idler spool when it is moved by virtue of its 'film loo'p shortening;

nndfrictionully driven take-up'means adopt` ed to pull the film from the driving menus at greater: lineal speed .tlnm! sind feeding means feeds the film to'the'drivingV menus.'

33. In film lPropellingn paratus, o. dmv ing'shaft, a p urali ranged in longitudinally' spliced relation on the driving shaft, ech spool'ftfmg loose onty of riving. spools. ar- 'l the shaft s o as to be friotionslly driven from the shaft independently of all other drivilng spools; an idlershoft` substantielly parallel to the drivingshaft, a plnrelxty of idler spools loosely l A s ol being ireelyrotatable-on .the idler. s .aft and bodily movable thereon ,m a v tion transverse of the shaft; said driving end idler spoolsbeing-'edepted to taken direccarried by the idler shaft, euch pluralivtyof lm loops a bra-ke rod. near end `id1er,shat, xiieans to .retard the. movem l0 of the lsind thereby `to r'etgrdfthe'. rt

parallel to theidler aft and onthat side of the idler shaft toward the .driving shaft, each idlerpool being adapted elally. contact with said brake moved by virtue of shortenndg of its filmloop'and before it hgs reeche transverse nevement'- with reference to itslimt of tion ,oflthe -driving'spoolsf' relative to" their driving sh'aft; vand' frxcti'onally driven Cakeup means .capable of-withdrawing theffilm from the driving spools lat a greaterlineal sped than it 4moves through said retardiug 15 means. l

ln-witnessthat I claim the fore oin .I "ave hereunto subscribed my name t lis 2 th ay ofJune 1923..

` LEO J. PATTERSON, 

